Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
Donald Tsang to visit Legco, sparks may fly
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen will attend a question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council this afternoon, probably the second last of his tenure, of which fewer than six months remain. Tsang's 'thug' remarks about radical pan-democratic lawmaker Wong Yuk-man (pictured) in a session in October are still fresh in lawmakers' memories, and Wong is still smarting over reports that he was involved in a punch-up during a visit to Taiwan at the weekend. All eyes will be on whether any further bitter exchanges take place today.
Lunar New Year travel rush set to peak
The Lunar New Year travel rush is expected to peak between today and Saturday. More than 670,000 passengers, many of them migrant workers, have left Beijing for the journey home during the holiday. Earlier this week, authorities in Beijing handed out raincoats to 70,000 passengers waiting to board trains or long-distance buses. The government expects passengers to make 3.2 billion trips during the 40-day travel rush, the world's largest human migration.
Last chance to pay homage to Poe
Is the 'Poe Toaster' nevermore? For decades, a mysterious man left three roses and cognac on the grave of Edgar Allan Poe (pictured) in Baltimore to mark the anniversary of the writer's birth. But after the visitor, dubbed the 'Poe Toaster', failed to appear two years in a row, the writer's fans are planning one last vigil today before calling an end to the January 19 tradition. The rose and cognac tributes are thought to date back to at least the 1940s.
Taiwanese legislature wants to get cracking
The legislature in Taiwan will discuss whether to convene an ad hoc session this afternoon and tomorrow to pass non-controversial legislation as soon as possible after its work was delayed for a month by the island's elections last weekend. Wang Jin-pyng, president of the Legislative Yuan, said some opponents of the proposal think the job should be left to newly elected members who will join the assembly when it convenes next month.
Customs chief to review service's 2011
Commissioner of Customs and Excise Clement Cheung Wan-ching will host a media briefing on his service's operations last year, including the latest drug seizures and smuggling. Cheung is also expected to address queries over staff discontent about his lack of experience in the disciplined services. Cheung, who was appointed commissioner last year, was previously chief of the postal services. Customs officers said Cheung was the fifth commissioner in 12 years and called for promotion of officers to the top job.
Pakistan's prime minister on the spot
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani (pictured) will appear before the Supreme Court today to explain why he has failed to pursue corruption cases against the President Asif Ali Zardari and other officials. The court launched contempt proceedings against Gilani on Monday after he failed to carry out the court's order to reopen the graft case against Zardari. If the court convicts Gilani of contempt, he could serve up to six months in prison and be disqualified from holding office.
